Rolling door



Dec. 7, 1954 Filed Aug. 28, 1953 v N. MICHELMAN 2,696,250

ROLLING DOOR 2 Sheefis-She'et 1 /5 N y F I (5.3 \m 72 /I l i IFLYENITQR4; RNEY N. MICHELMAN Dec. 7, 1954 ROLLING DOOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledAug. 28. 1953 1 r ORNEY United States Patent ROLLING' DOOR:Natlian'Michelman, Brooklyn,'N. Y.

ApplicationAugust2'8, 1953, Serial No. 377,035

'7-Clairns; or. 160-492 This invention-Jrelates to rolling doors and,more particularly, to a novel, simplified counter-balancing arrangementfor-manually operated rolling doors.

Rolling doors usually comprise a series of hingedly interconnected.elongated slats, panels or the like, and are arranged tobe wound on adrum or shaft extending across thelintel of a doorway. The slats areguided and restrained, in their vertical. movement in opening andclosing the door-way, bychannels or tracks extending along. thesides of"the opening.

'Suchdoorsggwhich are often referred to as curtain d'oors,find numeroususes, such asv fire doors, pier doors, andthe'like. They'are also usefulas garage doors and in any location where it is: desirable that'the fullwidth of the opening be always'available, or where it is desirable to beable to selectively adjust the vertical clearance of'the opening.Thus,'these doors may be raised only partially'to limitaccess'throughthe opening.

Whether such'doors are manually operated or power operated,counterbalancing arrangements are desirable due to the weight of thedoor, particularly when the latter is' made of steel or other relativelyheavy metal. Such counterbalancing arrangements are a practicalnecessity with. manually operated rolling or curtain. doors. Thecounterbalancing arrangements hitherto provided, while reliable inoperation, have been complicated and expensive to an extentsubstantially limiting their field of application'due to the cost ofinstalling doors incorporating such arrangements;

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention .to provide anovel, simplified and reliable rolling door. construction andcounterbalancing arrangement therefor which is much less costlytoconstruct and install than presently known constructions andarrangements.

To this end, the invention rolling door construction includes a shaftarranged horizontally across a lintel of a.

doorway and normally nonarotatable. Rotatabl'y mounted on this shaft aredisk means having the upper end of the flexible door secured thereto forwinding onto su'ch disk means and unwinding therefrom.

Coil spring means, are mounted on the shaft in emr bracing relationthereto andhaving an end engaged with the disk means. The other endofthe coil spring means is engaged by spring adjustment; meansv .fixedto the shaft and constraining the associated end of the coil springmeansagainst. rotation. relative to the .shaft.

The coil spring means is so disposed that it is wound up, duringlowering 'of-the d'oor,-so:'that the stored energy counterbalances thedoor weight during raising or opening of the door. Means are provided,whereby the shaft may be selectively released for rotation to providefor adjustment of'the initial spring tension.

Preferably, the coil spring means comprises a pair of coil springs eachhaving an end secured to a disk andamend secured to one of the springadjustment means. The latter are each selectively angularly adjustable.about the shaft axis to correlate the initial tension of both springs.Selective rotation of the shaft adjusts both springs conjointly.

For an understanding of the invention principles, reference is made tothe following description of a typical embodiment thereof as illustratedin the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation view of a rolling door embodying theinvention;

2,696,250 Patented Dec. 7, 1954' theline 22 of Fig. 1.;

Fig; 3 is a horizontal. sectional view of the door on the line3'3 of.Fig: 1;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation View of the door winding means;

Fig. 5 is avertical sectionalview-ofthe releasable shaft locking means,taken on theline 55 of'Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 'isa'front'elevation'view, partly'in section, of thereleasable'shaft' lockingmeans, corresponding generally'to the'line66'of Fig. 5; and

"Fig. 7 is'a diametric sectional view on the line 77 of Fig. 4.

Referring to Figs; 1, 2 and 3,'door 10 may comprise a plurality ofhingedly interconnected elongated strips or slats 11, of any suitablematerial suchas wood or metal, slidable in vertical tracks 12 extendingalong each side of a doorway or other opening 15. Door 11) is arrangedto be wound on suitable rotatable. means located ina-transversely'curved longitudinal guard or housing 13 extending alongthe li'ntel 14 of doorway 15. The illustrated door ismanuall'y'raised-or lowered, as by' grasping the handle 16. At the-leftside of guard 13, a slide 40 projects for releasing the normally nonrotatable door tends horizontally of. lintel'14 and substantiallyaxiallyof 'andvconcentric with guard 13, beingmounted at each endthoughthe end walls 17 of the guard; Shaft 20 is normally held againstrotation by means described more fully hereinafter.

Rotatably mounted onshaft 20 are a plurality of door winding disk means,such as disks 25; Three areshown, although a greater number may be usedfor-wider doors 10. "Each disk 25- has secured concentrically therewithanannular bracket 26-which is U-shape in crosssection and encloses ananti-friction bearing 27' supporting the associated disk 25 for rotationonshaft 20. The upper- -most= slator strip 18 of door 10 is secured tothe peripheries of disks 25, as by angle brackets 24, so that door 10'may be wound ondisks 25 during opening of the door and unwound therefromduring, closing of the door. The securement of the door 10 to theseveral disks 25- fixes the relative positions of the disks axially of Apair of coil springs 30 are mounted in embracing relation onshaft 20,and each disposed adjacent an end disk 25. From Fig. 4 it'will' beobserved that the two springs 30 are oppositely wound; One end of eachspring 30 is anchored to 'the adjacent end disk 25, as by having an endbooked through an aperture 28 in the disk. The opposite end of eachspring is anchored to a spring adjustment member 35.

These members 35, whichmay be castings, each comprisea conical springseat portion 33 and a collar portion 34 integral with portion 33. Therelated end of a spring 30 is anchored in the associated adjustmentmemheras by having an end inserted into a radial aperture 36 in portion34.

The forward face 37 of conical portion 33 of each member 35 is formedwith a series of radial notches 38, shown as four in number in thespecific example illustrated; These notches are arranged to engage pinor pins 21, projecting radially from shaft 20,. to. lock members 35'against rotation relativeto shaft 20; By'pulling members '35 away fromend disks 25, the notches 38 are released from pins 21 so that members35 may be angularlyadjusted on shaft 20 to correspondingly adjust theindividual tensions of'springs 30 to equalize the initial tension 4 ofthetwo springs.

The desired tension exerted conjointly by both springs 30 may beselectively adjusted by the shaft locking means 40 at the left of shaft20, as viewed in Fig. 4, and shown more particularly in Figs. 5 and 6.The locking means includes an enlarged hub element 41 non-rotatablysecured, for example, to the left end of shaft 20 and including arelatively thick disk 42 and a cylindrical intermediate section 43terminating in a conical portion 44.

A generally semi-circular bracket 45 has a radial 3 flange 46 secured toend wall 17 of guard 13 and having a slot 47 therethrough. An axiallyextending wall 48 joins flange 46 to a second radial wall 49 parallel tothe face of disk 42. The ends of wall 49 are bent to form apertured ears51 receiving a U-bolt 52 embracing hub section 43.

The slot 47 in flange 46 is a guide for slide 50, which includes a fiatstrip 53 having a bent outer end 54 adjacent an access opening in guard13. Slide 50 is guided by a slot 56 in strip 53 receiving a headed pinor rivet 57 secured to guide end wall 17.

The inner end of strip 53 carries a block 55 selectively engageable inradial notches 58 in the periphery of disk 42. A coil spring 60 securedbetween an ear 61 on wall 49 and a pin 62 on slide 50 normally biasesslide 50 radially toward shaft to'engage block 55 in a notch 58 to lockshaft 20 against rotation.

To conjointly adjust the tension of both springs 30, slide 50 is pulledoutwardly and shaft 20 rotated relative to disks until the desiredspring tension is attained.

The described arrangement thus provides a simplified, inexpensivecounterbalance for a rolling door, individual and conjoint springtension adjustments.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed in detail to illustrate the application of the inventionprinciples, it will be understood that the invention may be embodiedotherwise without dep arting from such principles.

I claim:

1. A rolling door comprising, in combination, a normally non-rotatable,horizontally arranged mounting shaft; disk means rotatably mounted onsaid shaft; a flexible door having one end secured to said disk meansfor winding thereon by rotation of said disk means; coil spring meansembracing said shaft and having an end engaging said disk means; andspring seat means normally fixed to said shaft in axially spacedrelation to said disk means and engaging the other end of said coilspring means to such other end of said coil spring means againstrotation relative to said shaft; said coil spring means being disposedto be wound by relative rotation of said disk means and said shaftduring unwinding of the door to counterbalance the door weight duringwinding of the door on said disk means; said spring seat means beingangularly adjustable on said shaft to preset the tension of said coilspring means; said shaft being selectively rotatable for adjustment ofthe initial tension of said coil spring means.

2. A rolling door comprising, in combination, a horizontally arrangedmounting shaft; releasable means normally locking said shaft againstrotation; disk means rotatably mounted on said shaft; a flexible doorhaving one end secured to said disk means for winding thereon byrotation of said disk means; coil spring means embracing said shaft andhaving an end engaging said disk means; and spring seat means normallyfixed to said shaft in axially spaced relation to said disk means andengaging the other end of said coil spring means to such other end ofsaid coil spring means against rotation relative to said shaft; saidcoil spring means being disposed to be wound by relative rotation ofsaid disk means and said shaft during unwinding of the door tocounterbalance the door weight during winding of the door on said diskmeans; said spring seat means being angularly adjustable on said shaftto preset the tension of said coil spring means; said releasable meansbeing selectively operable to release said shaft for rotation foradjustment of the initial tension of said coil spring means.

3. A rolling door comprising, in combination, a normally non-rotatable,horizontally arranged mounting shaft; a pair of circular disksrotatively mounted in axially spaced relation on said shaft; a flexibledoor having one end secured to said disks for Winding thereon byrotation of said disks; a pair of oppositely wound coil springs eachembracing said shaft and each having one end engaged with one of saiddisks; and a pair of spring seats each normally fixed to said shaft inaxially spaced relation to a disk and each engaging the other end of acoil spring to such other end against rotation relative to said shaft;said coil springs being disposed to be wound by relative rotation ofsaid disks and said shaft during unwinding of the door to counterbalancethe door weight during winding of the door on said disks; each springseat being angularly adjustable on said shaft to preset the relativetensions of the two coil springs.

4. A rolling door comprising, in combination a nor-,

mally non-rotatable, horizontally arranged mounting shaft; a pair ofcircular disks rotatably mounted in axially spaced relation on saidshaft; a flexible door having one end secured to said disks for windingthereon by rotation of said disks; a pair of oppositely wound coilsprings each embracing said shaft and each having one end engaged withone of said disks; and a pair of spring seats each normally fixed tosaid shaft in axially spaced relation to a disk and each engaging theother end of a coil spring to constrain such other end against rotationrelative to said shaft; said coil springs being disposed to be wound byrelative rotation of said disks and said shaft during unwinding of thedoor to counterbalance the door weight during winding of the door onsaid disks; each spring seat being angularly adjustable on said shaft topreset the relative tensions of the two coil springs; said shaft beingselectively rotatable for conjoint adjustment of the initial tension ofboth of said coil springs.

5. A rolling door comprising, in combination, a horizontally arrangedmounting shaft; releasable means normally locking said shaft againstrotation; a pair of circular disks rotatably mounted in axially spacedrelation on said shaft; a flexible door having one end secured to saiddisks for winding thereon by rotation of said disks;

a pair of oppositely wound coil springs each embracing said shaft andeach having one end engaged with one of said disks; and a pair of springseats each normally fixed to said shaft in axially spaced relation to adisk and each engaging the other end of a coil spring toconstrain suchother end against rotation relative to said shaft; said coil springsbeing disposed to be wound by relative rotation of said disks and saidshaft during unwinding of the door to counterbalance the door weightduring winding of the door on said disks; each spring seat beingangularly adjustable on said shaft to preset the relative tensions ofthe two coil springs; said releasable means being selectively operableto release said shaft for rotation for conjoint adjustment of theinitial tension of both of said coil springs.

6. A rolling door as claimed in claim 5 in which said releasable meanscomprises a circumferentially notched circular element rotatable withsaid shaft, a reciprocable slide movable radially toward the shaft axisto engage in one of such notches, and means biasing said slide to theshaft locking position.

7. A rolling door as claimed in claim 5 in which said releasable meanscomprises a circumferentially notched circular element rotatable withsaid shaft and fixed to one end of the latter, a non-rotatably mountedbracket embracing said element; a slide reciprocably mounted in saidbracket for radial movement toward the shaft axis to engage in one ofsuch notches; and means biasing said slide to the shaft lockingposition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,375,219 Johnson et al. Apr. 19, 1921 1,994,142 Madsen Mar.12, 1935 2,019,084 Miller Oct. 29, 1935 2,097,242 Robinson Oct. 26, 19372,350,286 Michelman May 30, 1944 2,520,618 Winter Aug. 29, 19502,630,597 Robinson Mar. 10, 1953

